Bosch develops rapid test for COVID-19

Bosch has announced it has developed a fully automated rapid test for COVID-19, in a bid to help medical facilities make fast diagnoses.

Coronavirus continues to pose major challenges for healthcare systems and medical institutions worldwide. An ability to rapidly diagnose the virus has been described as an invaluable way to help curb its exponential spread in many countries.

Dr. Volkmar Denner, Chairman of the Board of Management of Robert Bosch GmbH, explained: “We want the Bosch rapid COVID-19 test to play a part in containing the coronavirus pandemic as quickly as possible. It will speed up the identification and isolation of infected patients.”

Faster certainty, slower spread

Developed in just six weeks, the rapid test can reportedly detect a SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus infection in patients in under two and a half hours – measured from the time the sample is taken to the time the result arrives.

Another advantage of the rapid test is that it can reportedly be performed directly at the point of care. This is said to eliminate the need to transport samples, which takes up valuable time. It also means patients can quickly gain certainty about their state of health, while allowing infected individuals to be identified and isolated immediately.

With the tests currently in use, patients must usually wait one to two days for a result. Dr. Volkmar continued: “Time is of the essence in the fight against coronavirus. Reliable, rapid diagnosis directly on site with no back and forth – that is the great advantage of our solution, which we see as another example of technology that is ‘Invented for life.”

Bosch’s rapid test is described as one of the world’s first fully automated molecular diagnostic tests that can be used directly by all medical institutions.

What’s more, it reportedly allows a single sample to be tested not just for COVID-19 but also for nine other respiratory diseases, including influenza A and B, simultaneously.

Marc Meier, President of Bosch Healthcare Solutions GmbH, stated: “The special feature of the Bosch test is that it offers differential diagnosis, which saves doctors the additional time needed for further tests. It also provides them with a reliable diagnosis quickly so they can then begin suitable treatment faster.”

The newly developed test will be available in Germany starting in April, with other markets in Europe and elsewhere said to follow.

Bosch’s rapid COVID-19 test is the result of collaboration between the company’s Bosch Healthcare Solutions subsidiary and the Northern Irish medical technology company Randox Laboratories Ltd.

Marc said: “Together with our partner Randox, we have succeeded in developing this innovative rapid test within a very short time frame, and we are now in a position to offer it to the market. The Bosch Vivalytic analysis device evaluates the test safely and reliably directly in the hospital, in the lab, or in the doctor’s office, guaranteeing the best possible protection for patients and medical staff.”

The company is said to be currently examining how it can help doctors and nursing staff in medical facilities, such as the Robert Bosch Hospital, get tested promptly so they can be fit to work for as long as possible – with no risk of infecting others.

Easy application at the point of care

In various laboratory tests with SARS-CoV-2, the Bosch test reportedly delivered results with an accuracy of over 95%. The rapid test, therefore, meets the quality standards of the World Health Organization (WHO).

A sample is taken from the patient’s nose or throat using a swab. Then the cartridge, which already contains all the reagents required for the test, is inserted into the Vivalytic device for analysis.

During the analysis, medical staff can devote themselves to other tasks, for example treating patients. The Vivalytic analyzer has been designed to be so user-friendly that even medical personnel who have not been specially trained on it can reliably perform the test.

A Bosch Vivalytic analyzer can perform up to 10 tests in the space of 24 hours. This means it takes just 100 devices to evaluate up to 1,000 tests per day. Given the dynamic spread of the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, laboratories are already working beyond capacity. The Bosch Vivalytic will thus help to increase available testing capacities.